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With the prevalence of overweight and obesity on the rise in America, the role of educators in creating transformative learning contexts that minimize obesity bias and that foster tolerance has become increasingly crucial. The purpose of this work was to develop and explore the effectiveness of a curricular unit to promote tolerance and multifaceted understanding about obesity among undergraduates by encouraging empathy for obese persons and critical reflection about obesity and obesity bias. The unit engaged undergraduates (n = 334) in a consideration of competing rhetoric about obesity and exposed them to filmed interviews with obese persons (i.e., "testimonials"). Qualitative responses to a unit activity were analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of the curriculum in achieving its goals. Responses revealed varying levels of empathy and critical reflection, with some but not all students questioning dominant knowledge claims about obesity, expressing empathic concern for obese persons, identifying with obese persons, and enumerating strategies to minimize obesity bias. Implications for future educational efforts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose—The research purpose was to identify whether changes occurred between 2000 and 2003 in the retail channel use of rural consumers for searching product information and for purchasing food and fiber products and to investigate whether differences existed between channel use groups (i.e. store only shoppers, store and catalog shoppers, and multi-channel shoppers) concerning perceived time property, satisfaction with local offerings, community attachment, shopping criteria, and financial security. Design/methodology/approach—Survey methodology was used. Questionnaires were mailed to participants living in non-metropolitan statistical areas of the USA with populations less than 12,500. In 2000, 2,198 participants returned the questionnaire. Follow-up questionnaires were mailed to the same participants during 2003 and returned by 847 participants. The analysis is based on the responses of the 847 participants. Findings—To search for information on apparel, food, or home furnishing products, internet use increased slightly as did use of the internet to purchase apparel and home furnishings. Multi-channel shoppers rated themselves as time-pressed, dissatisfied with local offerings, unattached to their community, and unconcerned with financial security while shopping. Practical implications—Rural consumers are slowly increasing their use of internet even as they report their satisfaction with shopping with local brick and mortar stores increased during the time period studied. The time is right for rural retailers to enhance both personal and professional relationships with their customers. Rural retailers can capitalize on consumer satisfaction and provide outstanding value and service to keep local customers in local markets. Originality/value—The paper provides information on new and different retailing practices that satisfy rural consumers in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored how European American women in midlife transition think about their changing bodies and related sociocultural discourses. The work was informed by theory that illuminates a process in which middle-aged individuals critically evaluate the meaning structures used to make sense of the world and self and transform these schemes for personal relevance. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 women transitioning into their middle-aged years. Data were analyzed using constant comparison processes. Analyses revealed two major ideological adjustments in participants' thinking, including (a) the shift from an emphasis upon external to internal aspects of the self and (b) the questioning of dominant social discourses about the female body. Although these ideological shifts seemingly contributed to participants' acceptance of their bodies at midlife, participants also expressed ambivalence about their appearances and related social discourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the life course perspective, this study used a mixed method approach to (1) arrive at a deeper understanding of body image in each of three adult life stages among older white women living in a Midwest state of the United States of America, (2) investigate how these women's body images have changed during aging, and (3) identify major life transitions affecting women's body image throughout the adult life span. This study used retrospective, self-reported data. Both open-ended and scale ratings questions were incorporated into the paper-based survey questionnaire. Older white women ( n = 102) aged 65 to 94 years completed a survey questionnaire. Written responses to seven open-ended questions assessing the older women's past and current body images were analyzed, and 14 themes emerged. A quantitative scale of body satisfaction with five body attributes was included to provide a validity check with written responses. The women's body images significantly changed across the adult life span, reflecting different body concerns and evaluations at each life stage. This study revealed contrasting results to previous cross-generational comparisons which concluded that women's perceived level of body satisfaction remains stable through life. Many of the women expressed some degree of positive body image at all stages but became less satisfied with several aspects of their bodies as they aged, including aging appearance, decline in physical function, and several health problems. The study provided a general picture of white women's body image development throughout the adult life span.